Assessing network dependencies and latencies in mainframe application network traffic

Abstract

A computer-implemented method including obtaining records of TCP communications for a mainframe computing system for a time period. The method also can include generating, using the records, a first dataset including an inventory of IP entities that communicated with the mainframe computing system over TCP during the time period. The method additionally can include generating one or more visualizations based at least in part on information in the first dataset. The method further can include generating an allocation of the IP entities into rings representing respective potential latency sensitivities. The method additionally can include causing to be displayed outputs including the one or more visualizations and the allocation of the IP entities. Other embodiments are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 obtaining records of TCP communications for a mainframe computing system for a time period; 
 generating, using the records, a first dataset comprising an inventory of IP entities that communicated with the mainframe computing system over TCP during the time period; 
 generating one or more visualizations based at least in part on information in the first dataset; 
 generating an allocation of the IP entities into rings representing respective potential latency sensitivities; and 
 causing to be displayed outputs comprising the one or more visualizations and the allocation of the IP entities. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining first associations of the IP entities with IT asset inventory information. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the allocation of the IP entities into the rings further comprises:
 determining second associations of the IP entities with application asset inventory information; and 
 reallocating at least a portion of the IP entities among the rings using a rules-based assessment. 
 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 identifying at least one of anomalies, patterns, or optimization opportunities based at least in part of the first dataset, the first associations, and the second associations, wherein the outputs further comprise the at least one of the anomalies, the patterns, or the optimization opportunities. 
 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the records comprise System Management Facilities (SMF) Type 119 Subtype 2 records. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first dataset further comprises network traffic patterns, traffic volumes, and traffic properties associated with the IP entities. 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more visualizations comprise a diagrammatic visualization comprising representations of LPARs of the mainframe computing system, system groups of the IP entities, and respective volumes of network traffic between the mainframe computing system and the system groups of the IP entities for the time period; and 
 the diagrammatic visualization further comprises, for the time period:
 geographic topology of the system groups; 
 a respective number of the IP entities in each of the system groups; 
 a volume of network traffic between the LPARs; and 
 a respective number of TCP connections between each of the system groups and the mainframe computing system. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more visualizations further comprise a first table showing, for each system group of the system groups for the time period:
 a respective traffic total to and from the mainframe computing system for the system group; 
 a respective number of the IP entities in the system group; and 
 a respective number of TCP connections between the system group and the mainframe computing system. 
 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more visualizations further comprise a second table showing, for each day of weeks of the time period:
 a respective traffic total to and from the mainframe computing system; 
 a respective number of TCP connections to the mainframe computing system. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more visualizations further comprise a third table showing network traffic segmented by mainframe services and mainframe services groupings. 
     
     
       11. A system comprising one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computing instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 obtaining records of TCP communications for a mainframe computing system for a time period; 
 generating, using the records, a first dataset comprising an inventory of IP entities that communicated with the mainframe computing system over TCP during the time period; 
 generating one or more visualizations based at least in part on information in the first dataset; 
 generating an allocation of the IP entities into rings representing respective potential latency sensitivities; and 
 causing to be displayed outputs comprising the one or more visualizations and the allocation of the IP entities. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining first associations of the IP entities with IT asset inventory information. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein generating the allocation of the IP entities into the rings further comprises:
 determining second associations of the IP entities with application asset inventory information; and 
 reallocating at least a portion of the IP entities among the rings using a rules-based assessment. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 identifying at least one of anomalies, patterns, or optimization opportunities based at least in part of the first dataset, the first associations, and the second associations, wherein the outputs further comprise the at least one of the anomalies, the patterns, or the optimization opportunities. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the records comprise System Management Facilities (SMF) Type 119 Subtype 2 records. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first dataset further comprises network traffic patterns, traffic volumes, and traffic properties associated with the IP entities. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the one or more visualizations comprise a diagrammatic visualization comprising representations of LPARs of the mainframe computing system, system groups of the IP entities, and respective volumes of network traffic between the mainframe computing system and the system groups of the IP entities for the time period; and 
 the diagrammatic visualization further comprises, for the time period:
 geographic topology of the system groups; 
 a respective number of the IP entities in each of the system groups; 
 a volume of network traffic between the LPARs; and 
 a respective number of TCP connections between each of the system groups and the mainframe computing system. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more visualizations further comprise a first table showing, for each system group of the system groups for the time period:
 a respective traffic total to and from the mainframe computing system for the system group; 
 a respective number of the IP entities in the system group; and 
 a respective number of TCP connections between the system group and the mainframe computing system. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more visualizations further comprise a second table showing, for each day of weeks of the time period:
 a respective traffic total to and from the mainframe computing system; 
 a respective number of TCP connections to the mainframe computing system. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more visualizations further comprise a third table showing network traffic segmented by mainframe services and mainframe services groupings.